1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus and method plants for canning products such as meat, fish and the like and particularly to a machine that shear the product according to a predetermined orientation of the fibers, to successively compact the slices, to cut them into cylindrical pieces and to transfer them inside cans or other suitable containers. Because of these characteristics, the disclosed machine will be described in connection with canning of tuna fish.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
It is known that the canning of meat, fish and the like is an operation that presents significant problems due to the fact that the starting materials have varied shapes, dimensions and densities, while the material introduced in each can must have substantially constant weight and a compact, homogeneous and non crumby testure. Machines presently in use, such as a machine of the type disclosed in Italian Patent No. 794,113 while giving good results, does not avoid completely the problems associated with the canning of the above mentioned products and in particular those problems associated with losses of product, its crumbly texture and relatively slow cycle speed.